UK police brace for far-right rally and counter-demonstration
Why this matters: local context for readers following news across Pakistan and the region.
Thousands of people began rallying in London Saturday at a march organised by far-right activist Tommy Robinson and a counter-demonstration fused with a pro-Palestinian protest, amid a huge police presence. London’s Metropolitan Police said ahead of the duelling events that it would mount one of its largest operations in recent years, as the British capital also hosts the FA Cup Final. The force was set to deploy 4,000 officers — alongside horses, dogs, drones and helicopters — to manage Robinson’s so-called “Unite the Kingdom” march and the rival rally marking Nakba Day. Nakba commemorates the 1948 displacement of Palestinians during the creation of Israel. It will combine with an anti-fascism march organised by the Stand Up to Racism group. The Met police estimated 30,000 people would attend that event, setting off from west London, while 50,000 would be at the “Unite the Kingdom” march starting from Holborn in the heart of the capital. Natasha, 44, was among those who had travelled in for Robinson’s rally, wearing a bucket hat in the colours of Britain’s Union Jack and draped in the flag. “It’s nice to be around my own culture,” she told AFP near its start-point, calling the event “patriotic” and insisting “there’s nothing racist about it.” Union Jack-wielding Justin, 56, from Essex, who declined to give his last name, echoed the sentiment. He said attendees were protesting “a whole load of stuff.” “Obviously immigration is a big part of it,” he noted. ‘Christian values’ Across London, Simon Ralls, 62, from Nottingham in central England, had turned out for the combined pro-Palestine and Stand Up to Racism event. “The right (wing) are emboldened – we’re here to try and counter that, make sure people aren’t ignorant,” he told AFP ahead of marching into the city centre. Robinson — real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon — is a former football hooligan turned anti-Islam activist whose profile has soared in recent years, in particular online. Last September, he drew up to 150